MILLION-DOLLAR UNLOCKS

New companies rarely get off the ground without some roadblocks, setbacks, and unforeseen decisions. Here, 10 founders describe the pivots that unlocked their growth and catapulted their profitability.

- RACHEL DAVIES

UNLOCK/When you hit a wall, revisit your bigger idea.

When Ben Witte launched his brand Recess in 2018, his mission was simple: He wanted to make nonalcoholic relaxation beverages. CBD was hot at the time, thanks to the recent passage of the Hemp Farming Act, so he launched a line of CBD-infused sparkling waters-and then hit a problem. Consumers liked the drinks, but many retailers wouldn't stock CBD, because the FDA hadn't offered guidance on it. Witte faced a choice: Double down on CBD, or expand elsewhere?

To make that decision, he reflected on his mission. His goal was to make nonalcoholic relaxation beverages-and CBD wasn't the only way to do that! He looked for other ingredients and discovered magnesium L-threonate. "In 2020, no one was talking about magnesium, so it kind of felt like a secret hidden in plain sight," Witte says. It's believed to have a mood-lifting effect. A year later, he used it in a new line called Recess Mood, a line of relaxation drinks that landed in national retailers. Nowadays, CBD accounts for less than 10% of sales. "Would I have thought CBD would be a much bigger part of our business now? Yes," Witte says. "But it's important to know what details you can adjust and what you should stay true to."

UNLOCK/Give customers what they want, no matter the cost.

Soon after founding their company Pair Eyewear in 2017, Sophia Edelstein and Nathan Kondamuri started a private Facebook group for their customers. Pair sells glasses that magnetically connect with "top frames" in a variety of different patterns and colors, so customers can personalize their glasses like any other accessory. The Facebook group was a space where customers could share feedback and show off the fun ways they were styling the frames.